Ryan Mahaffey begins his second season on The Hill as WKU's tight ends coach following a campaign for the ages in his first season on Mike Sanford's coaching staff.
When Mahaffey opened the door to his meeting room to begin his first spring on staff, he found just two tight ends in the room in walk-on senior Deon Yelder and redshirt freshman Kyle Fourtenbary. Between the two, there were a combined zero catches and zero receiving yards. By the end of the 2017 campaign, Yelder would go on to set WKU records by a tight end and earn an invitation to the nation's most prestigious all-star game, the Reese's Senior Bowl.
Yelder, who was given a scholarship for his fifth - and final - year on The Hill at the conclusion of spring practices, set single-season receiving yardage record (688) by a tight end and tallied the most points ever by a tight end in a single season (52). His seven receiving touchdowns are the second-most by a tight end in a single season as were his 52 receptions.
Mahaffey came to Bowling Green following a year at his alma mater, Northern Iowa, where he served as co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. The Panthers opened the 2016 season with a victory over Big 12 conference member Iowa State. Three players on the offensive side of the ball for UNI picked up All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors including lineman Trevor Hanson and Robert Rathje and all-purpose back Michael Malloy.
Prior to returning to Northern Iowa, Mahaffey spent two seasons at Notre Dame, including one spent with head coach Mike Sanford in 2015. Mahaffey was a part of the coaching staff that helped the Fighting Irish to a Music City Bowl win over No. 22 LSU in 2014 and a Fiesta Bowl appearance in 2015.
In Mahaffey's first coaching stint at UNI, in 2013, he coached the tight ends on a team which included current Arizona Cardinals star, running back David Johnson.
Mahaffey graduated from UNI in the spring of 2011 with a degree in economics. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in June 2011 and spent time with the Colts and Miami Dolphins. With the Colts, Mahaffey saw action in five games with one reception for five yards in 2011 before signing with the Dolphins.
As a Panther, Mahaffey played in 51 career games and tallied 25 catches for 227 yards. He was a two-time second team All-MVFC selection and was named to the MVFC All-Newcomer team as a redshirt freshman in 2007. He was also named to the MVFC All-Academic team twice in his career.
Mahaffey is married to the former Molly Schemm.
THE MAHAFFEY FILE
PERSONAL
Born: Nov. 28, 1987
Hometown: Grinnell, Iowa
College: Northern Iowa, `11
PLAYING CAREER (Tight End)
College: Northern Iowa (2006-10)
Pro: Baltimore Ravens (2011), Indianapolis Colts (2012), Miami Dolphins (2012)
COACHING CAREER
2013: Northern Iowa (Recruiting Coordinator/Tight Ends)
2014-15: Notre Dame (Graduate Assistant/Wide Receivers)
2016: Northern Iowa (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers)
2017-18: WKU (Tight Ends)
BOWL EXPERIENCE
2014: Music City (Notre Dame, Coach)
2015: Fiesta (Notre Dame, Coach)
